Improvement in skates



uvmtnr. I

N. PETERS; PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER; WASHINGTON. D C.

Alt-renne'. PLATT, or SANDUSKY, onto.

Letters Patent No. 1(`)9,935 dated December 6, 1870.,

IMPRovEMEnT 'IN sKA'rEs.

` The vSchedule referred to in these Letters Patent and 'making part o! the same.

To all whom. it may concern 13e it known that I, ALFRED C. PLATT, of Sandusky, in the county of Erieand in the State of. Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improt-'eme'ntsin 4 kat-es; and dohereby declare thatthefollowing'isafull, clear, and exact Adescription thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereonmaking a pal-tof this Specification.

. The nature of my inrentiouconsists in the construetion and arrangementof a combined overshoe and skate, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

l-n order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction andl operation,referring tol the. annexeddrawing,-in.

Figure 1 is a side view of my combined overshoe and skate.

Figure 2 isa bottom view of a plate running under the skate, or rather under the foot-board of the skate, the rear or heel end of said plate being shown in plan iriew.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the device for secar ing the heel.

No method ot'securng skates now in `userzuin'its of wearing ,an over-shoe, and the straps contracting around the feet prevent the free circulation of the blood, and consequently cold feet is a common coniplaint among skaters, even when the remainder of the body is kept in.a glow of warmth by the exhilarating exercise, and there is great need of an ovcrshoe in combination with a skate to render the. feet comfortable. v

'lhe herein-described,device will be found to meet this want. A represents the overshoe, the upper part of which is made ofv elastic material, to readily admit the foot without lacing and conform to its shapewhen on. It is lined with a loose or elastic lining, and between it and the outer covering the straps or cords B'B are arranged, as shown. l

These straps may be entirely concealed within the shoe hy passing through loops, rings, or eyelets ,attat-hed between the lining and outer covering on each side of the hollow of the foot; or, as here represented, they may pass down through openingsin the shoe and connect with thedcvice for holding the heel.

In this way they answer the same purpose for securing the fore part of the foot-,11nd, at the same time, secure the heel as they are tightened, as will be presently described.

These straps or cords are attached to the skate near the toe, and passing back cross eachother on the foot between the outer joints ot' the toes, their pass down on` each side, either through rings con- -nected with the skate or through loops in the arms of tbc heel-holding device C, then up through rings,

hooks, or loops upon the heel-strap D, and finally up .from these and connect with the upper part ot' a strap or pad, E, which runs along'the top of the foot, and connects with the straps where they cross over the toes.

This arrangement of the straps B B and connection with the pad or strap E renders them more convenient when used-on the skates not having the over-A shoe, they'are' not so likei'y to become disarranged By this arrangement of the-straps the whole skate is tightened-quickly, evenly, and comfortably, yet tirmlyto the foot.

This arrangement of the straps also combines cony vcnience, elegance, and comfort with the line ofdraft where and'only where most needed.

In skates as now-made hcavydouble straps pass over the toes where -but little force is neededg'these wide straps are required to prevent injury to the' foot on'account ot' their position, crossing as they do the joints of the toes, and compressing them uncomforirl-l bly together, while the heel is secured byasinglenarrow strap, which, owing to its diagonal-position lto the line of draft, does not give the required security to the heel, where, the greatest force is needed, without a painful or. uncomfortable pressure upon the instep,

which cramps it and interferes with the fre-e action ol'- the ankle.

This tight strap over the instep is greatly objected to by good skaters.

By my arrangement the front strapsA cross the foot between theouter joints of the toes, and donot cramp them together, but press the footeasily yet firmly to the skate.

Passing hack, they connect again with the skate near the center, and being tightened over the foot yat this point help to secure the heel,and lessen the force upon 'the heel-strap, as will readily be perceived.

The connection of the straps passing over the instep with the front straps by the pad or strap'E, upon the top ofthe foot, also prevents the heel-strap from drawing back and cramping the ankle at the instep.

rlhis method of strappingmay be applied to skates without the bvershoe, and will be found not oni much more convenient, elegant, and conifortable,but

to give greater security to the skate than anybther Straps as now applied have to be encumbercd with .clumsy buckles, loops, and bunches, which notv only prevent their resting easily upon the foot, but destoroy whatever beauty ot'form or elegance ot'vcontour it may possess.

' The securing ot' these buckles requires long ends of buckle to enter the strap. This necessitates a strong pull and severe compression of the foot to render the skate sutiieiently tight when on.

All these diticulties are obvia-ted by the usc of straps arranged in the manner shown and described above.

The straps and pad are concealed by the outer covering'ot' the shoe, and nothing exposed except the ornamental knob and thumb-pieces of the pawls when the tightening device G is used, or 'a bow-knot when straps are used and tied, vcoming np through between the-laces.

lh'ese laces do not need to be elastic.

When the weightof the body is removed from the broad base of the foot tothe narrow edge of the skate, muscles-unused to such a strain are brought into play and soon become exhausted, rendering skating very irksome and diliicult. This is especially the case with new beginners, with those who seldom skate, orthose who, from any cause, have weak ankles.'

Ska-tes Vas now lnade have no adequate support 'or the ankle. To meet this want I have attached tothe used, as the shoe is lining ot' the ovcrshoe on each side of the ankle the the heel,- as'shown in dotted lines in lig. l.

.To the top of this piece H the heel-straps 1) are attached, and when the skate is tightened these straps draw around the ankle-supports b b, and com press them tightly on each side ot' the ankle, and thereby support ittlatcrally while allowing free action forward and back.

.These supports may be used without the ovcrshoc.A

The top oi' the skate forms the sole of the overshoe, andthe heel is made hollowto admit the heel `of the boot or shoe. This t'orm `permits the form ot' the overshoe to'coni'orm to that ot' the boot or shoe within it, by permitting the hollow ot' the overshoe to come up to that vithin it, thus retaining the form of the foot, not causing it to look bungling as oversh'oes now in use do.

This hollow heel, while it prevents the licei of the boot or shoe from moving laterally in any direction, allows the spurs d el engaging with the heel oi' the boot or shoe to secure it ti'om rising out.

In securing skates to the footthe greatest diliiculty is experienced in securing the heel, owing to the greater strain upon `it by springing -against the toe, to push ones seit' along, and to thc-disadvantage ot'the line of draft for holding it, heilig so diagonal with the direction oi" the strain, as the strap i'or holding it must always pass brwardover the instep of the toot.

Ou account ot' lthis diagonal direction ot' the heelstrap, to properly secure the heel, great pressure is rcquircd upon the instep of thefoot, which is not only uncomfortable, (sometimes painful,) but greatly inter feres with free action of the ankle, necessary to good skating.-

by turning a screw into the heel of the boot or shoe, but for this holes have tobe made purposely with some instrument, not always readily obtained, and then skate, and the operation is very awkward and irk'- some. 4

These holes, being on the bottom ofthe boot, become iilled with sand, gravel, or frozen earth, which renders the operation ot' securing the skate Ver diti'icult, if not impossible, without obtaining an instrument for reopening the hole.

When skates are. secured without screws or straps, lioots or shoes are required purposely for them, or` an which isjliable to be kicked oll when not skating, or the openingl in it rendered useless bybecoiniug filled with Vfrozen earth, sand, or gravel.

l.hese`inethods ot' securing the heel, awkward and inconvenient they are, cannot be used upon skates combined with an overshoe, or skates strapped, as ladies skates usually are, with a high heel-piece of stiff leather, because, when the foot is set in its place, the skate cannot be turned.

The device .by which Isecure the heel, as will be presently described, will be found to obviate the foregoing ditiiculties, and greatly facilitates and renders more convenient the securing of the hee-l.

much more comfortable and easy, and, at the saine time, more firmly secured than by any other means' heretofore used.

Attached to the skate, under the hollow of the foot, is the plate J, with one or more rowsot' teeth, c, or notches on the undel' side.

Sliding upon this plate is the device C, with sides extending down below the plate J, ii'om which sides teeth ff project inwardly and engage with the teeth c c upon the pla-te. \Vorking thus it is adjustable to boot vheels ot' any size;

the spurs or points (l d, for the purpose of crowding into the heel and holding it secure, pressing it 'back and hugging it` down upon the skate, as it-doesby the action ot' a force upon the arlns or levers h h extend- 'ing tbrward from said device, said force operating through the fulcrum formed bythe plate J, and en` gaging teethff. 'y

This force may be applied and this` deyice' held in position by4 a bar extending across the plate J, u11der the arms h h., while being slid forward, raises these arms and holds the spurs or points d d against the heel, or they may be raised and the spurs crowded in by the hands and sustained by swing-catchesconnected with the cnds'ot' the arms h Il., and catching upon the plate J, or by any other suitable device.

To facilitate the operation ot' fastening the skate, l. have devised the method oi' passing the cords or'straps B 13 through a loop or opening in the ends of the arms h h. Thus, as the skate is tightened by the straps, thesearms are raised and the licei secured.

Under the cross-bar ol' the device (l, and coiled upon a wire extending ii'oni side to side, is the spring le, which serves to hold thedevicc C in position up inthe notches and against the heel ot' the boot or shoe until the straps aio tightened.

The broad surface ot' the device O between the spurs which enter the heel is roughencd, creased, orgrooved, or provided with blunt teeth, as shownin iig. 3, so that when the spurs have worked .in their length by usel and the action ot' the t'orce upon the levers It It, this rougheucd surface will engage with the heel and Additional Vseci'u'ity is .sometimes given to the heel unich time is required to screw on and unscrew theI extra plate is required to be attached to the heel,

By its use the pressure required vupon the top ot thc t'oot is great-ly lessened and the skatev rendered Upon the part ot' this 'device toward the heel are muniti? hohl it, even if the spurs should, by continuous use, become loose. Y

To operate this device, the foot is set in its place upon the skate, when the arms of the device C are depressed, and the whole slid back against the heel of thc boot or shoe. The spring l: will raise the device up in thenotches c on the plate J, and also hold itin position against the heel. until tightened by the tightening ofthe straps B B.

This device for holding the heel may be attachedto any skate; for this purpose the plate J is provided with holes, so that it may be screwed upon the wooden toot-piece of an ordinary skate.

There is a large opening in the center ot' the heel, which prevents the plate from interfering with any irregularity left by cutting off the screwor spur, which usually projects from the heels of skates as now made.

To the bac-k end of the plate J is attached .a tlexible strap 0r plate, K, with loops at eaehend for the attach-nient of heel-st1'aps,\\'henitisused upon skates without the overshoe orskates without the high leather heel-straps, with which ladies skates are usually provided. This strap K is quite stiff, but can be bent, and, when the skate is for the first time put'on, the foot isplaced-in the position desired, whether central or a little to one side, is sometimes preferred, especially if the heel ofthe hoot or shoe run over, when the strap is bent. to its place by the ytightening of the skate, and afterward serves as a guide for placing the foot, when it is lirinly secured in its pla'ce by the de.

vice C. The back end of the plate J is turned up for the back ofthe heel to rest against, and to this the heel-strap K is attached.

When itis desired te use the device G upon skates with metallic foot-pieces instead of wood, the metal plate itself may be so constructed as to take the place ot' the plate J.' .lhc edges under the'hollow ofthe tootcould be bent and teeth formed upon them, ol' a slot could be inadc in theiniddle with notches for the support of the fulcrum of the device C.

When it is preferred to retain upon ladies skates, the higli stiff-leather heel-pieces with which they are usually provided as asort ot' support to the ankle, hooks may be attached to it on each side, as inthe overshoe, into which the straps or cords may be 4hooked after the skate is on and unhooked before What l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a skate, the overshoc A, provided with the sta-ys b b and hollow heel I, and secured by the straps B B, arranged substantially asand .for the purposes herein set forth;

, 2. The arrangement of the straps B B, substantiallyA as shown and described, in combination' with the strap or' pad E and cord-c, for the purposes'set forth.

3. The elastic ankle supports b 11, tightened by means ofthe heel-strap' D, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. In an overshoe, combined with a skate, the hol? low heel I, having an opening in its front for the passage of the spurs Il d, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and described.

5. The plate J, provided with one or more racks, e, constructed and' applied in combination with the device C, substantially as and for the purposes hereinset fort-b.

- 6. 'lhcdeviee C, constructed as described, with spurs cl d, teeth fj, levers or arms h h, and spring k, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

7 'lhe eon'ibination of the device C and straps B B, arranged and tightened substantially as herein set forth. 1

S. The eonibii'iation of the plate J, ,device C, and straps B B,'all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. t

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, l have hereunto set my hand this lst day of October, 1870.

. ALFRED lC. ILATT.

\Vitnesses:

E. M. Couven, Guns. 1t. MoLoUTH. 

